


Audrey Abroad

by Brumeier



Series: Bite Sized Fic [60]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Kid Fic, M/M, Prompt Fill, Travel, Wraith
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-06-03 22:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6628555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>LJ Comment Fic for It’s Time to Get Out of Town prompt: <i>Stargate Atlantis, John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, taking their child to Earth for his/her first Earthside vacation.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Audrey Abroad

Audrey had been inconsolable when she found out Madison broke her arm, at least until Carson had explained what that meant, and showed her x-rays from when Dr. Emil had fractured his tibia. Once she understood, Audrey channeled her inner Wraith Queen and demanded to be taken to Earth. Immediately.

“I will go to Brampton, and help Madison feel better,” Audrey said. Her arms were crossed and there was a thunderous expression on her pale face. Her lips had pulled back from her teeth, displaying them in a way that she never normally did; Rodney hoped she wasn’t doing that on purpose.

“It’s not that easy, and stop growling at me.” Taking a Wraith to Earth was no walk in the park, even one that no longer had an operational feeding hand. “We’d have to make a formal request of the SGC, which doesn’t guarantee they’ll say yes.”

Audrey abruptly switched tactics. “Please, Father? Please?”

She actually batted her eyelashes at him, and clearly she’d already spent way too much time in Madison’s company. Still, Audrey never asked for anything. And Madison had been begging to have her cousin come visit. Rodney supposed it wouldn’t hurt to at least contact General O’Neill and feel him out on the subject. After all, they let Teal’c go running around Earth whenever he wanted to.

“I can’t promise anything,” he said.

“You’re the smartest man in the universe, Father. I believe you can make it happen.” Audrey gave him a hug. “I’ll pack my bag.”

*o*o*o*

The red tape was nearly insurmountable, and Rodney had participated in more video conferences than he cared to count, but eventually he and John were able to get clearance to bring Audrey through the Gate to the SGC. Audrey was unduly smug with the outcome, until she remembered to be nervous.

“Will the Earthers be afraid of me?” she asked. She was sandwiched between John and Rodney while Chuck dialed the SGC, holding on to her bag with both hands. 

“Some of them,” John said. 

Rodney glared at him over Audrey’s head. He didn’t want her to feel more self-conscious than she already was.

“But the smart ones will see what a brave, intelligent girl you are. And they’re the only ones that matter.”

So maybe John wasn’t a total moron.

“Thank you, Colonel.” Audrey looked up at him and gave him one of her closed-mouth smiles. In response John ran a hand over the top of her head.

“We’ll be with you the whole time, kiddo. Nothing to worry about.”

The wormhole _whooshed_ into existence, and Rodney felt the usual rush of trepidation. Even though he was going to Earth, he had no idea what to expect once they reached the other side.

Audrey reached out and put her hand in Rodney’s, something she hadn’t done in quite some time. He gave her a squeeze.

“Let’s go. Madison’s waiting for you.”

Audrey nodded, but she kept hold to Rodney’s hand as they stepped through the event horizon.

*o*o*o*

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Dr. McKay, we cannot allow a Wraith to wander the streets of Toronto. She’ll draw too much attention.”

“You can’t ask her to do this. It’s not fair.” Rodney knew he sounded petulant, but he didn’t care. Sam hadn’t mentioned anything about this in any of the meetings they’d had prior to coming to the SGC, and it felt a whole lot like an ambush.

“I want to,” Audrey said softly. “Please?”

Rodney crouched down so he could be eye level with her. “There’s nothing wrong with the way you look.”

“But if I do, I can go see Madison. And no-one will stare at me.”

Rodney had to fight the urge to lash out at Sam. He clenched his hands into fists and took a few deep breaths. Sometimes he hated that Audrey was Wraith, that she couldn’t have a more normal childhood; he could relate to that. But he also knew how damaging it could be, to feel the pressure to be different. He didn’t want Audrey to feel diminished.

“It’s the only way, Rodney,” Sam said, not unkindly.

“Fine.” Rodney knew when he was beat. He stood back and let Sam affix the device to Audrey’s wrist. One of the SG teams had come across it offworld, and Dr. Lee had run countless tests on it to make sure it was safe.

“All you have to do is press this button,” Sam explained to Audrey. “Once turns it on, twice turns it off. Give it a try.”

“Will it hurt?”

“No, sweetheart. It won’t hurt at all.”

Audrey looked at Rodney, and he forced himself to smile reassuringly. She pressed the button, and the air around her shimmered for one quick second. When it settled, Rodney was sure his mouth was hanging open.

His little Wraith looked completely human. Her skin had warm, human tones, and her face was unblemished. Her hair was a more natural shade of red, and her eyes were similar to John’s in color, but the biggest difference came when Sam handed Audrey a mirror. She smiled at her reflection with two rows of straight, perfect human teeth.

“Look, Father! I look just like an Earther!”

Rodney was pretty sure he’d never forgive Sam.

*o*o*o*

“Audrey? Is that you?” Madison stared, wide-eyed. She had a bright pink cast covering her right hand and up to her elbow. “What happened?”

“It’s classified,” Rodney replied.

“Do you like it? I look like you! No-one looked at me at all when Father and Colonel took me shopping.”

Audrey had insisted on some Earther clothes to go with her new look. She’d wandered through Walmart with eyes as big as saucers, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices she had. It was a lot different from the market they went to on P44-87T. They hadn’t been able to find light-up sneakers in her size, but she was just as happy with the purple glittery ones.

“You don’t look like you,” Madison said. She wrinkled up her nose. “Are you going to be like this forever?”

“Only while I’m here. You don’t like it?” Audrey looked uncertain, fidgeting with the bracelet.

“I like the way you look when you’re you. This is weird.”

“Oh. I have to wear it while I’m here. Dr. Sam said so.” Audrey looked at Rodney for confirmation.

“Well, I think if you’re here in the house, it’s okay if you deactivate it.”

“Rodney,” John said warningly.

“What? No-one’ll see her when she’s indoors.”

“You want me to turn it off?” Audrey asked Madison.

Madison seemed to realize that her cousin was conflicted, and tried to backpedal. “Only if you want to. I mean, it’s okay if you don’t.”

Audrey grinned, a big human grin, and switched the bracelet off. “Can I see your room?”

Madison grinned back at her. “Let’s go!” 

They ran off, hand in hand and giggling. Rodney counted that as a win for Audrey’s first visit to Earth.


End file.
